Forbidden
by oceanmoon
Summary: Naruto is given another chance as life after being badly beaten. But this time he'll do it as a Shinigami under Kyuubi. In exchange for his future, Naruto has to make one promise. He is never allowed to fall in love. Because to fall in love is death. AU story. Mostly takes place in Shippuden. Remake of former post.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, or the image used for the cover. I didn't manage to get permission for the cover story, but I am using this as a disclaimer for that as well. Thank you.  
**

**Chapter 1: The Burning**

Three men stood over the beaten and bloody body of a 13 year-old boy. One of the burly men threw a beer bottle at the boy and tisked. "I don't think he'll be getting up again, boys. Let's throw him in the river and head home. He never should have come back" The two smaller men lifted the boy. One lifted him up by his head and the other man picked him up by his feet. They carried him over to the bank of the river and tossed him in. He hardly floated for a second before he was submerged.

"_Wake up Naruto."_ Naruto opened his eyes and blinked in an attempt to clear his vision a bit.

"Who's there?" A low chuckle shook his body. "_I am the Shinigami Bijuu, Kurama the Kyuubi no Kitsune, and you, Boy, are dead."_ Naruto's eyes widened and he ran his hand nervously through his blood-crusted hair. _"But I am here to make you an offer."_ Naruto looked at the Kyuubi suspiciously.

"What kind of deal?" The monster in front of him chuckled.

"_Work for me as a Shinigami, and I will give you your life…and more."_ Naruto looked at him with doubt and glared a bit without really noticing.

"And what's the catch?" Once again, the demon laughed.

"_Not a catch, but a condition."_ A big smile spread across the fox's face, which Naruto assumed was supposed to be comforting, but was instead menacing. _"You must never chain yourself to a human."_ Naruto stared at him with a face that appeared clueless.

"What do you mean chain myself to a human." The big fox stared down at Naruto along his snout.

"_Traditionally, when a Shinigami finds a human who they like, the will chain themselves to the human if the human is dying. This way, the Shinigami can keep the human for however long they wish. However, when the Shinigami lets the human go, the human will die. That is what would happen with a full Shinigami. Now, think of yourself as half Shinigami. There has never been another one like you because no one has been as close to a Bijuu as you. Your mother once contained me in her body and her mother before her, and now you do. I am not angry anymore. Still, I am grateful to your family, and that is why I am here offering you this deal. However, because there has been no other half-Shinigami before you, we do not know what will happen to you if you do. It is believed, that in the case of half-Shinigami, when they chain themselves to a human, they will be bound to that human forever because they don't have the power to detach themselves. Therefore, you must not bind yourself to a human, ever."_ Naruto sat back on his hands looking up at the demon with his mouth agape.

"So in exchange for my life and some mysterious 'more', I can never love anyone?" The monster laughed.

"_Yes, something like that."_ The boy in front of him shrugged.

"Well, no one ever cared about me before except for a few of my teachers, so I don't see much of a difference." He held out his hand to the monster, and shook. Suddenly, a flash of light over took them and Naruto woke up to find himself hanging on a few branches above a rushing river. He heard a slight tearing sound and looked up to find that his shirt was tearing. As the last thread tore, a surge of heat radiated through his body. He reached out with a clawed hand and grasped the branch as he began to fall. Slowly, he inched his way along the tree branch and collapsed onto the river bank. He stayed conscious for an instant more before his eyes rolled back into his head and he knocked out.

Hours later, Naruto awoke. He was still on the bank of the river, but when he sat up, a soft blanket slid off his body and fell fluidly to the ground. In response, his body suddenly heated up. He looked at the blanket, surprised and reached for it. A soft scent of vanilla reached his nose and he inhaled deeply, but just as quickly, the scent was gone. He put the blanket close to his nose, but all he could smell was the scent of soap and his own scent. Putting it back down, he went over to the river and reached in to splash some water onto his face, but was shocked by the person staring back at him.

His eyes were still deep blue, but there were slits in them for pupils. His whiskers had darkened and thickened. His canine teeth had even elongated and sharpened. Hands that had previously been equipped only with short rounded nails were now outfitted with long sharp claws that glinted in the morning sun. Slowly, Naruto backed away from the river. The visage before him had stunned him. Naruto suddenly heard a low chuckle within his head. _"How do you like your new appearance?"_ Naruto's heart beat in his chest rapidly.

"I look terrifying! Is there any way you can make me look less…monstrous." Again, a low chuckle echoed within his mind.

"_Of course. I wouldn't want everyone to know about how powerful you are. All you have to do to change back is will it."_ Relieved that the aesthetic changes were not permanent, Naruto quickly willed himself to normal. One look into the stream confirmed that he had already turned back. _"Be aware that your new form is what you really look like. You just hide behind your old skin."_ Deciding to make sure everything was real, Naruto willed himself to his Shinigami form. Another glance in the water confirmed that everything was truly happening. _"Satisfied, Kit?"_ Naruto transitioned back to his old appearance before he answered.

"Yes, but I still have no idea what I've just gotten myself into." Kurama's low _hyuk-hyuk _sent chills up Naruto's spine.

"_Don't worry, you'll learn. Let's go home for now." _Naruto stood up fully before stretching out his muscles that had grown stiff in sleep. _"I'll let you know now that natural poison and old age can't kill you. And your regeneration abilities have been increased, but you are not invincible.. If you chain yourself to a human and they get killed, then you'll probably die as well. Also, other Bijuu or Shinigami can kill you, so be careful. I partially explained this to you earlier, but now I get to expand.. You obviously can get stronger, but your body is at its current maximum performance for your muscle mass and bone density as well as chakra capacity. If you improve any of that, your maximum improves as well. Now I think I've covered everything." _Shaking his head, the blonde boy began to walk away from the river. Everything was just too much at the moment because it felt as though his entire life had been completely turned upside down. Before he got too far away, Naruto remembered the vanilla scented blanket that had been on him before.

"Who gave me the blanket?"

"_I don't know, I was asleep too. But whoever did, did so while it was dark, so they probably didn't notice any changes in you." _Going back, he picked up the blanket and gently folded it before going home, blanket in hand.

At home, Naruto looked about before cringing in disgust. His heightened senses made it gross to just stand in his own room. Sighing, Naruto went into the kitchen and pulled out several trash bags. Over time of leaving his house as it was, clutter had built up and began to severely impose upon his living space. Fiercely, Naruto tore through his entire apartment building, trash and cherished items alike, into one bag. Before long, the once cluttered living space was remarkably clear. The only things left were the covers on his bed, the lamp on his night stand, and a single picture frame containing a picture of Team 7. Looking about his suddenly spacious room, he relaxed because he finally felt like he could.

_"Not keeping anything, Kit?"_

"Nah. Don't really need any of the clutter. Besides, can't start caring too much if I outlive all of my friends." Although Naruto's words were strong, Naruto felt his heart clench painfully. He had worked hard to build bonds with the friends he had. The last thing he wanted to do was break the bonds that he had worked so hard to achieve. Within his mind he compromised that he would maintain bonds with only his closest friends. At the moment, that was a short list limited to Iruka, Sakura, Jiraiya, and Tsunade. Sasuke would have been included in that list if he was still around.

Naruto felt Kurama's consciousness weigh heavily within his mind. _"It gets easier, Kit."_ The words of the monstrous entity did little to assuage his fears_. "I wish I could allow you more time to settle into this, but you must begin your work. Don't worry, you're new occupation won't interfere with being a ninja. I like to leave some spirits for other Shinigami to keep up competition, so we'll get what we can. Besides, since you brought Tsunade back, there has been a sharp increase in the life expectancy but right now I sense a life about to wither. Here. I'll show you." _Within Naruto's minds eye, he could see a place that he had never seen before.

"Have you ever even been there before?" Naruto had never been there before, and yet the Kyuubi knew exactly the way to get there.

_"No. When you're in here as long as I have been, your mind gets to drifting. I've probably gone over every inch of Konoha...twice. But obviously, I can't do anything on my own. So, now that I have you, I can easily show you the ropes. Anyway, let's get down to business. I'll show you where to go." _Naruto departed to the house, his morbid duty weighing heavily on his shoulders.

Kurama's directions took the blonde to a small home near the outskirts of the opposite side of town. The house was rather isolated, and the garden on the small plot of land had long since overgrown. _"Go ahead, Kit. Step inside."_ Naruto took a weary step into the house. _"Don't forget to change your form."_ With a shift in features, Naruto was soon his demonic self again_. "That room to your right."_ The Kyuubi urged him forward. Naruto was wary as he stalked deeper into the house, not knowing if he was going to find a long dead body, or perhaps even another Shinigami. Quietly and stealthily the blonde demi-god stalked over to the room. Inside, upon a bed, he saw an old lady looking out of an open window. She looked very old and tired; as though she had long since finished fighting. Upon sensing Naruto enter, her aged, wise eyes turned to him and met his directly. For an instant she was startled, but only shortly.

"So it is my time." Naruto was unprepared and speechless. Luckily, Kurama was ready to lead. The Bijuu's voice suddenly erupted from Naruto's mouth.

_"Yes. But also, I am here to grant you your final wish."_ The old lady thought for a moment and then smiled tenderly. Earnestly, the aged woman looked at Naruto.

"If I could, I would like to have one final dance with my husband." To be honest, Naruto once again had not the slightest idea on what to do, but Kurama was there to help.

_"Put your hand on her head with your thumb on her third eye. The rest will just happen."_ Taking the demons' instruction, Naruto went forth and gently placed his hand upon the woman's head. He watched as her eyes filled with a strange light. A ghost of a smile formed on her face and within an instant she was gone.

_"Good job, Kit. I'll take it from here."_ Naruto felt sick and sad but he shed not a tear. Kurama noticed his misery. _"Maybe you should go home, Kit. You don't seem well."_ A deep breath settled Naruto's body.

"I think I'll do just that." Turning around, Naruto left the terror of his new occupation behind.

As soon as his apartment was visible, Naruto felt both relief and exhaustion consume him. Approaching his door, however, he noticed something different from before. A hand-crafted necklace was looped about the doorknob to his home with a medium sized cowry shell weighing on a string. A little, tiny, perfectly round hole was cut into a protruding end, and a thin twine cord was strung through the hole effectively attaching the two together. Reaching out he once again smelled the scent of vanilla before it disappeared, and he picked up the delicate looking necklace.

Naruto didn't quite know where the little gift came from, nor the one before which had been a blanket. Whoever it was, leaving the little items, they always left it when they would not be detected by him. The idea that someone might care made him more concerned than anything. Honestly, Naruto thought that it was very possibly a cruel trick that some mean villager was playing, but he couldn't bring himself to throw out the two items he had received from this kind stranger. Quietly, Naruto unlocked his door and stepped into his empty home. He didn't bother with his clothes and instead went straight to his bed. Naruto felt his world dull a little more as he began to fall asleep. The next few years were filled with darkness.

**Three Years Later**

Naruto woke up to the Kyuubi's insistent shouting in his head. _"The Pervert is talking to you, Boy."_ The blue-eyed boy slowly let his lids lift up as sleep finally left him. Outside his tent, he could hear Jiraiya speaking.

"Wake up, Naruto. Today is the day we get back." Naruto slowly sat up, running his hand through his messy hair. Over the last three years, it had become increasingly difficult to get up in the mornings. His new job was taking its toll on his mind. On the inside, Naruto was glad to be going home, however, he feared that he would soon have to pass on his friends and those that he had known. He hadn't even seen them in the longest time. Naruto felt his attitude slightly sour as he remembered Sasuke's betrayal back before he had gone on his training trip. Before Naruto could let his attitude be further soured, he lifted his ragged blanket off of himself and folded it. The blanket was small and tattered, it had been the one he had received as a gift from a mysterious person long ago. He had never had the heart to throw it out, and in a way, he cherished it. It made him think that maybe someone cared. The blonde also always wore the small shell necklace he had received long before along with Hashirama's necklace. Finally emerging from his tent, Naruto was greeted by his mentor. "Good morning boy! How are you this lovely morning?" Naruto beamed.

"I'm great, Ero-sennin. Can't wait to get back home." The old man chuckled.

"That's good. I personally can't wait to get to see those pretty ladies of Konoha again. Hey, how pretty do you think your classmates have gotten?" Naruto blanched. He knew his teacher meant that in the dirtiest way possible.

"Don't you go near any of my friends. They're ¼ your age anyway." Jiraiya giggled lecherously.

"Even better." Naruto swore he felt himself turn a little green at that comment.

Before long, the rest of the camp was packed or burned and the pair began the short trek to the village. On their strong legs, the trip only took a couple of hours, and it had been silent nearly the entire way. When Naruto finally saw the village walls in front of him, he felt a mix of emotions within him. He was incredibly glad that he was home again, but he was scared that he wasn't going to bring good things to the village. Naruto cautiously carried on.

When the ninja pair finally arrived within the village gates, Naruto was astounded to see the changes in people around him. New ninja had risen up, old ninja had retired. Little children had been reborn. It was almost like a breath of fresh air. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a flash of pink, and when he turned around to face it, he found his teammate standing there. She looked astounded to see him. He noticed that she had grown into her frame and was now tall and still very thin. Her hair was still short, and the freckles across her nose had grown slightly more pronounced. "Sakura-chan." Naruto greeted her warmly with a smile. Her eyes were the same vibrant green that they had always been only with more intelligence and worldly knowledge. However, there was still a small degree of petulance deep within her eyes. Sakura finally got out of her stupor as she looked up at him.

"Hi, Naruto." She stayed silent for a moment while she looked him over. 'He looks so grown up.' "Do I look any different to you?" Sakura asked her question as red slightly spilled across her cheek bones. Naruto looked her over once.

"No you look pretty much the same." A wide grin split across his face as he answered her, but it disappeared as quickly as it had come when he realized that he had made a mistake.

"NARUTOOOOO!" Sakura came at him faster than she ever had before. Her fist was pulled back and even in that simple movement, he could detect the sheer power residing within her incoming fist. In the last instant, Naruto narrowly dodged it and felt himself catch his breath. Sakura was shocked that he had dodged, and awkwardly followed after her fist before finally stopping 5 feet away.

"Sorry, Sakura. I've got to be intact if I'm going to report to Tsunade. I'll see you later." He walked off with a wave and left the pink haired beauty there gawking.

It was a couple of hours before both Jiraiya and Naruto had finished speaking with Tsunade. Although Tsunade had pretended to be tough and not have missed them, Naruto knew that she really had. Now he had the rest of the day free while Jiraiya went around chasing women. Grinning rather excitedly, Naruto decided to visit a restaurant that he had severely missed while he was on his trip.

Finally arriving at Ichiraku, Naruto was glad to have made it home. The savory smell of the broth floated out of the stand. Slipping under the curtains he smiled at the smell of cooking soup.

When he finally stood up to his full height, he almost stumbled back out. Sitting in his usual seat was a tiny little figure, with medium length navy colored hair. Walking up to the counter, he shouted his order into the little kiosk. Ayame, Teuchi's daughter greeted him as she cleaned a previously occupied space for him next to the blue haired girl.

"Hey Naruto-kun! It's great to see you back. How have you been?" Naruto smiled and nodded as he took his seat.

"It's great to be back. I've been fine, missed this place of course." Glancing to the person at his left, he saw a familiar face that he could not quite place. In the meantime, Hinata nervously looked at Naruto through the corner of her eye. Soon, a bowl of steaming soup was placed in front of Naruto, and he began to eat. Occasionally, either of the two teens would steal a glance at each other, neither of them noticing, much to Ayame's amusement. Suddenly Naruto recalled where he recognized the girl from.

"Hinata-chan is that you?"

The bashful girl turned to him and smiled shyly. "Hi Naruto-kun. It's been a while hasn't it. Welcome home." Naruto swallowed the food that he had been too surprised to eat.

"Wow, you've changed so much. I hardly recognized you." Naruto's blue eyes gazed at Hinata steadily, and the girl began to fidget.

"Yes, I changed my clothes a bit and I grew my hair out. I was just trying to get someone's attention." Hinata blushed crimson and nervously looked at him with her lavender eyes.

"Well I don't know about that someone, but I know that I like it." Hinata suddenly felt confused. She was overjoyed that he liked the way she looked, but was dismayed that still, after fourteen years, he still didn't know how she felt.

"Thank you Naruto-kun. That means a lot to me." Hinata stayed silent feeling Naruto's gaze on her. Finally, she could take no more of it.

"Ummm, Naruto-kun. You're food is getting cold." Hinata pointed at the ramen bowl which was rapidly cooling. Without another word, Naruto began to wolf down his meal.

Eventually, Hinata finished her soup and paid before getting up and walking away. Noticing that she was going away, Naruto scarfed down the last of his meal, payed the bill, and with a wave to Ayame chased after Hinata. The blue haired girl was startled when Naruto suddenly appeared right by her.

"Hey, Hinata-chan. I was wondering if you wanted to catch up a bit. Since, after all, I haven't seen you in FOREVER." Hinata gazed at him with her large opalescent lavender eyes.

"Yes, that sounds nice. Would the park be okay?" Naruto grinned widely and felt a little happy on the inside. He had long since longed for the companionship of someone his own age. The idea of strolling in the park was quite tempting as it was a beautiful day.

"Yeah, that sounds great. Let's go!" He went off in the direction of the park, and Hinata closely followed. Emerald green eyes watched their departure in curiosity. Sakura had been gathering herbs to help with a cold that had been going around and her attention had been captivated by Naruto's last exclamation. She felt herself wonder what the Hyuuga heir was doing following her teammate around. What made her even more interested was that the blonde boy was smiling at the slight girl with a grin that he hadn't seen directed at anyone for 3 years. Not even her. Unbearably curious, Sakura went off in pursuit, right behind the escaping pair.

**Sorry I've been gone for so long. I decided to give this story a radical make over. I hope you all aren't too upset with me. Please review, that would be nice. I'll try to update asap, but I've just been so busy. Well, see you around. :D**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

**Chapter 2: Echoes of Friendship**

Hinata and Naruto sat on a hill facing away from a bunch of trees in which a pink haired kunoichi was hiding. Naruto once again took the initiative to begin a conversation with the shy girl to his right. "So, what did you do while I was away? Did you go on any exciting missions?" Hinata tucked her legs into herself and wrapped her arms around them.

"I didn't do too much. I really wasn't allowed out of the village much except a few missions that my team absolutely needed me for. Mostly I just prepared my sister so that she may later take up the Clan Head position." Hinata stared down at the grass remembering how her sister had treated her the entire time she was around her. Hanabi had used to be so loving, but she had recently become just like her father. Cold and indifferent

"Oh? I didn't know you had an older sister." Naruto turned his full attention to her, and Hinata tried to sink deeper into her sweater.

"I don't. My father disowned me while you were away and gave my position to Hanabi-chan. I am just grateful he didn't but the caged bird seal on me. But that's really out of pride." Hinata felt herself fighting tears that were harshly trying to make their way to the surface. Then she noticed that Naruto was silent and it occurred to her that she may have sounded bratty. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't speak of my father in such a disrespectful way." She leaned her head on her knees turning her head away from him so that she couldn't see what ever angry expression Naruto had on his face.

"No, I think your father deserves more than a few impolite words." Hinata sat up and turned her head to Naruto so fast that she nearly gave herself whiplash. "He shouldn't treat you like you don't matter. You're very strong, Hinata-chan." He beamed at her proudly, and Hinata felt her heart soar. It was exactly that smile that had always managed to pull her out of her darkness. The smile that saved her.

"Thank you, Naruto-kun." They sat in a comfortable silence for a bit longer before Hinata found the courage to speak.

"Do you mind telling me about your travels while you were away. You were sorely missed." She blushed deeply as she was speaking of herself when she mentioned that Naruto had been sorely missed.

"Uh well." Naruto scratched the back of his head trying to remember what had happened on his travels. "I found out that Jiraiya is a huge pervert. So be aware of him, Hinata-chan, he likes pretty young girls." Hinata nearly fainted on the spot. The remark had been so off-hand that she knew that Naruto had probably noticed that he had said it, but that fact did not lessen the effect on her. "But in between all of the times he was off chasing women and drinking, we did have a few exciting missions. There was this one time that..." And Naruto went off telling the stories of his adventures. Hinata listend with rapt attention never letting her mind stray from what Naruto was saying. Occasionally, she would laugh or smile or put in her thoughts but for a while she just listened with admiration; enjoying the time with the boy she loved. A boy who was becoming a man. A very handsome man.

Sakura stood behind a tree watching her teammate and friend interact. She felt a seed of jealousy be planted within her. She would be stupid to not have noticed how attractive Naruto had gotten on his trip, although, he still did have terrible taste in clothes. It disturbed her that when she finally had decided to give him the time of day, he let his attentions be spent on a shy little wallflower that he had hardly ever spoken to before. Sakura glared at Hinata who gazed at Naruto with such love and devotion that it made her sick. Who was the girl to think that she had a chance with the teammate who had showered her in attention since they had become a team. However, it unnerved her when she realized that Naruto paid Hinata a good deal of attention whenever she spoke as well. Sakura consoled herself with the fact that perhaps this occurred simply because the ex-Hyuuga heiress was so excruciatingly soft spoken. Angrily, she stalked off.

Sooner than both the young teens on the hill had realized, it had become dark and beautiful stars sparkled in the velvet sky. Hinata realized this in mid-sentence and her heart leapt into her throat. If she couldn't get home in time, her father might lock her out or worse. She sprang to her feet, a startled expression on her face. "I'm sorry Naruto-kun but I have to go. It was really nice talking to you." Naruto stood up, confused by her urgency.

"What's wrong, do you need me to walk you home?" Hinata blushed deeply but smiled shyly.

"No, that's alright, but I really should be going. I hope to see you soon." And then with that Hinata sped off. Naruto sighed happily and lay down on the grass planning on sleeping outside.

Hinata's heart was pounding painfully when she finally made it to the front gates of her home. She prayed that her father had decided to go to bed early or something similar. To her dismay, she saw the formidable figure of Hiashi Hyuuga behind the gate. As soon as she was in front of him she bowed deeply. Hiashi said not a word.

"I'm sorry that I was so late Father." Hinata looked up timidly.

"Where were you?" Hinata began to shake.

"I was out with a friend." To her relief, her father didn't ask which friend it was. Instead, the man simply turned around and began to walk away. 'Maybe this time he'll...!' Her father's voice crushed her hope.

"Meet me in the dojo in five minutes. This time, be on time." Hinata felt her heart sink to the floor.

'Almost...'

Naruto lay on the grass nearly falling asleep. _I'll never understand you._ Angrily, Naruto groaned, not wanting to engage the Kyuubi in an argument or really any sort of conversation.

'What do you mean? You don't have to understand me.'

_I don't understand why you insist on making bonds now. Or for that matte, why you even used to insist on making bonds. You used to run around shouting to the world your goals. Even when I saved you, you had refused to fight back. Are you doing it for some strange reason that I am not aware of, or are you simply weak._

'I refuse to harm my precious people. Always have and always will. This village people all are precious to me.'

_They hate you for something you couldn't control._

'Not all of them.' Naruto pulled his hand up onto his eyes and lay there thinking of the true friends that he could count on his fingers.

_Fine, but you'll have to face it boy, everyone dies. Eventually you will be sending away your own friends. The very same people you have vowed to protect. _

With that, Naruto could feel Kurama's mind withdraw from his own. The blonde boy shifted over onto his side and could feel his thoughts quickly become tainted by Kurama's words. He thought of the people that he held dear. Within his mind he could see the strong Sakura become old and weak, and the beautiful, sweet Hinata become worn and tired. If he had to see that, he wasn't too certain he would want to build the bonds he had tried his entire life to build and preserve.

* * *

The terrible thoughts persisted on for a week and Naruto fervently avoided any people that he saw around the village. Occasionally he left his house in order to carry out his new duties, but that was the extent of his escapades out of his home. Suddenly however, on his way home, as he turned a corner in a street market, he spotted navy blue hair and a mostly lavender jacket on a slight frame. The blonde felt his spirits lift slightly as his eyes settled on the slight frame of Hinata Hyuuga. Negative thoughts weighing in the back of his mind, Naruto cautiously approached Hinata.

"Hey, Hinata-chan." The blue-haired girl was startled by his appearance as usual, but when she saw him she smiled sweetly.

"Hello, Naruto-kun. How are you?" Naruto's smile lost a bit of it's brightness as he realized how much really weighed on his shoulders, but he just decided to grin and bear it.

"I've been fine. Tired is all. How have you been? I haven't seen you since last week…" His sentence trailed off slightly as the sleeve of her jacket was slightly pushed back by the basket resting on her arm. As the material was pushed away, Naruto briefly caught a glimpse of slightly yellowed bruising before Hinata hurriedly pulled her sleeve back into place. As soon as her clothes were back into place she looked up at Naruto with a concerned expression. Seeing that his friend was worried about him seeing what he just saw; Naruto pretended not to have noticed and grinned widely although he strained to. Hinata appeared relieved when he didn't ask about the strange markings on her arms.

"I know. It has been that long, hasn't it. I haven't seen you around at all, not even training." Hinata looked up at him questioningly as though asking him why.

"Yeah…" Naruto scrubbed the back of his head in a habit that he had never quite grown out of. "I guess I just haven't been feeling up to training much lately." Hinata looked downright flabbergasted.

"**You** don't want to train? But why? I mean...isn't that against your nindo. To never give up?" Hinata was flustered by the end of her sentence as she realized that she had revealed just how closely she had always paid attention to him.

"Wow, you actually remember when I used to shout that?" A large grin broke over Naruto's face. Hinata simply looked down, embarrassed. Naruto then quickly noticed that many people were looking at him accusingly, probably thinking that he was harassing the ex-Hyuuga scion. Chuckling darkly, Naruto pushed them to the back of his mind and turned back to Hinata.

"Do you have time to hang out today or are you busy?" Hinata looked up surprised, but then a shy smile crept onto her delicate features.

"I would love to Naruto-kun, but I have to take this to the Hyuuga Compound-" Naruto suddenly cut her off as he realized that she really didn't want to spend time with him.

"It's okay. I get that you probably can't stay out so late." Naruto felt his stomach drop, but he pushed the strange feeling to the back of his mind. Hinata was confused by his reaction. She was eager to spend time with her long time crush, she had never said she wasn't. Especially now that he was giving her the time of day. Naruto looked around and then turned back to her scratching the back of his head slightly nervously. "So, ummm...I guess I'll see you around." He turned to go, but in a rare show of courage, Hinata spoke out to him.

"-first. I have to go to the Compound first. But I'm free after...if you would like. Daddy's not in town because he's out on clan business, and he won't be back for a few days so I can stay out a bit later than usual." Hinata raised her light lavender eyes up slowly.

Naruto didn't really now why, but when his blue eyes met Hinata's shy lavender ones, his stomach flopped and his heart skipped a beat. Sickness crossed Naruto's mind, but he figured that he couldn't get sick easily. Once again, the blonde demi-god pushed his strange emotions away and grinned widely at the small girl in front of him. His mischievous nature suddenly emerged.

"How 'bout since 'Daddy' isn't home, I help you carry that basket home and then we can go for a walk in the park?" Hinata smiled shyly and nodded.

"That sounds very nice Naruto-kun. But I think I can carry on my own basket." Naruto laughed a bit.

"I don't doubt you can, but I'd like to help with something instead of standing here looking like an idiot." He reached out and took the basket, noting that Hinata winced slightly when the basket bumped her arm. Soon after she winced, the girl smiled, and left Naruto wondering if he had just imagined it. The pair set off in the direction of the Hyuuga Compound.

Conversation on the way to the Complex consisted mostly of small talk as the pair strolled comfortably. When they finally arrived at Hinata's house, the girl took the basket from Naruto and hurriedly ran into the house. Once inside, she left the groceries to the cooks, and ran up to her room. She quickly brushed her hair, and glanced in the mirror. She automatically didn't like what she saw, but turned away before she could scare herself out of meeting with Naruto. Rushing back down the stairs, Hinata met up with Naruto. The pair walked away not noticing the pair of sealed Hyuuga eyes watching them as they went.

* * *

Once again, the ninja pair found themselves on a hill looking out over the rest of the park. Hinata shyly started the conversation. "Naruto-kun, why haven't you been feeling up to practicing? You always want to practice." Hinata looked at him with her concerned eyes, and they appeared to glow in the moonlight.

"Well, I don't know. I guess that...I just don't love it the same anymore." Naruto let out a sigh that was very uncharacteristic for him. Hinata stared at him shocked.

"Why?" The question hung in the air, and Naruto knew that he couldn't honestly answer. All of life had lost flavor for him.

"Maybe it's just a phase. I really don't know." Naruto lied through his teeth and dragged his eyes away from Hinata's, not bearing to lie to her. But he still couldn't tell her. How could he tell one of his friends that he was a monster, an abomination. He had become the stuff that nightmares were made of. Over the course of the last few years, Naruto had developed a deep self-loathing and had fallen into a deep depression. After all, the hardest thing was taking away the soul of a child, who had not even had the chance to live. True, he was only passing them on to a better place, but some of the people he had 'helped' had looked so lost, scared, and alone that it had broken his heart a little more each time until it was shattered.

"Well, maybe I could help you train." Naruto suddenly snapped his head around to Hinata. "I mean...I know I'm not very strong, but the gentle fist is something that is meant to be kept within the clan, so a chance to see it in action besides in battle is rare." Hinata hoped that Naruto would be willing to over look her weaknesses. The blonde boy next to her wasn't aware that she was as much a victim of himself as she was to herself. Hinata had been raised with the bar raised so high that it was impossible for really anyone to attain it. She was expected to be beautiful, strong, proud, deadly, and to the essence a Hyuuga. Hinata was not capable of such sentiments. She didn't think herself beautiful, and would never wish to inflict pain on another. She thought pride was an emotion that could easily cause one to err to vanity. But the most stand out feature of this small girl, what made her the most unique, was that she was not a Hyuuga to the core. The blue-haired girl had too much of her mother in her, and not only that but she had become something that had never been seen before in the Hyuuga. Someone who had a heart bigger than their ego. And the village pariah had somehow captured her heart.

"I would be so grateful if you would do that. I'm sure it could help me get much stronger." Naruto looked at her eagerly with his blue eyes. Hinata smiled back. "But, are you sure it'll be okay with your dad?" Hinata's breath hitched. She knew that her father wouldn't approve, but she was willing to suffer the punishment if it meant that she would be able to spend more time with Naruto. Even as Hinata said her next words, she knew that she would regret them later.

"Oh, I know he won't be too angry Naruto-kun. I'll convince him that it's for the best." A slightly strained smile made it's way onto Hinata's face, but past that she showed no apprehension.

"That's great." Naruto grinned widely. Quietly, both of the teen ninja turned to gaze up at the dark, all-consuming sky once again.

* * *

The next morning, Hinata woke up slowly. She was a morning person, so usually waking up was easy, but Naruto and her had stayed up late talking about whatever came to mind. When she finally returned home, the guards said nothing as though she wasn't late, and a servant girl simply rushed to get her back. Although they pretended not to now of her escapade; everyone's eyes had lingered on her a bit longer.

Hinata prayed to Kami that none of the Branch members would tell her father. That could be extremely detrimental to her. 'Naruto-kun...' Hinata remembered the deal that she had struck of with her crush the night before. They had decided to train on Monday's Wednesday's and Friday's because those were the days that neither of them met with their teams.

Hinata was extremely excited that she had such an opportunity to meet with Naruto. They agreed to meet at a secluded training ground at 10 on each of the mornings they were supposed to train. In fact, since it was Wednesday, she would be meeting with Naruto later that day. Finally rising from bed, Hinata decided that she would go out shopping. Sometimes she felt a little guilty of this habit of hers, but Hinata liked to shop. She wouldn't shop for expensive things, and she wouldn't buy much, but she liked to find something out of everything that she liked enough to purchase.

Whatever she bought might be a book, or a bracelet, or a cinnamon roll, or a gift, but whatever it was, it was always something that she knew was useful or important. Donning her lavender jacket, the bluenette stepped out of the compound, greeting the guards as she went. Once outside, she felt herself awaken a little bit more with the chilly morning air. The cold temperature reminded Hinata that September would soon turn into October and with October came Naruto's birthday. With that thought in mind, Hinata resolved herself to finding a gift for her crush. If she bought it early enough, she wouldn't have to worry, and then she could figure out how she would give it to him. It would take her a while to decide if she would give it to him in person or hide it where it would be safe until he eventually decided.

Hinata strolled along until she finally found the market place. As it was the middle of the week, the market stalls were sparse, and the market, in general, was empty. Seeing a store that carried organizational supplies for office workers; Hinata ran to check a calendar. Excitedly, she noticed that Naruto's birthday, the 10th fell on a Wednesday. This small coincidence made Hinata happy as she would have the opportunity to spend the day with Naruto and not have to desperately search for an excuse. A loose plan in mind, Hinata set out to find a gift.

The petite teen mulled about, searching for something that screamed out 'Naruto'. However, her crush was so unique that it was a fruitless search. A half-an-hour later, as the small girl was about to give up because she needed to get ready to train, Hinata came across the perfect gift. A lonesome stand sold sleep ware and one of the items were sleeping caps. Hinata knew from missions that Naruto wore a strange looking sleeping cap that he had for a very long time. It was due time for a replacement. Rushing forth, Hinata picked out a cap that was entirely green and had a frog on it. She passed the money to the store owner in return for the cap.

Looking down at the small item, Hinata had the strange feeling that something was missing. It was a cute cap, but it wasn't exactly the most unique. The girl bit her lip in thought. Then it hit her. Standing up straight, the girl raced back to a tailor's stand that she had seen near the entrance. Hinata paid for a spool of orange thread and a pack of needles. Happy with her purchase, Hinata tucked everything into a bag and left to get ready for her practice with Naruto.

At home, Hinata took a bath and meticulously combed her hair. She knew that her hair would be getting ruined five minutes into a spar, but she wanted to look decent at least for when she greeted her crush. She slipped into her jacket once again and quietly stepped out of her house ready for the day. Upon arriving at training ground 22, where few people ever ventured for unknown reasons, Hinata sat down and waited. She was a bit early, but she figured it was okay if she just sat down to wait. The cool air that contrasted with the warmth of her jacket made her comfortable, and before she knew it, she had fallen asleep.

Naruto arrived early to the training ground because he knew the true reason why no one ever trained there or even passed by. The training ground was often crawling with demons that would torment passer-by's. Kurama had told him of this when Hinata and he had agreed to meet at the secluded clearing, and Naruto knew that he would have to set up a barrier. Once he got to the clearing, he put some of his training gear down and as he straightened back up, he noticed a figure leaning against a tree facing the sun. Hinata's small frame was illuminated by the sun. Her hair glowed blue and her skin practically shined. Her thick eyelashes brushed her ever-blushing cheeks, however, and Naruto realized that she was asleep. Hinata was a beautiful girl, and the tall blonde had never really gotten a chance to realize this as she never really looked directly at him. Naruto was still staring at the girl when his vision suddenly morphed. Hinata's alabaster skin turned gray and wrinkled. Her hair turned a silvery white. Her small frame became even frailer, and although her features were still delicate in age, her eyes were sunken as though she was no longer asleep, but dead. Naruto harshly turned away and he heard Kurama's sinister laughter in the back of his mind.

**Okay, YAY! Another chapter finished….Woohoo…Please review. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!**

**BTW on my profile page I have a little make-up blog if you're interested in that kind of thing. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Making Your Decision**

Naruto stepped back into the clearing of Training Ground 22. He had placed seals on trees in a hexagon around the area to keep out any bothersome spirits that may come by. When he arrived back he was surprised to find that Hinata was still sleeping. The blonde shinigami allowed a small smile to spread across his face. As quietly as he could, Naruto crept up to Hinata and tapped her shoulder gently. The girl started awake and blinked dazedly about herself. When she looked up into Naruto's blue eyes, her cheeks stained in a red blush. "Sorry I fell asleep, Naruto-kun. I guess I must have been more tired than I thought." She stumbled to her feet and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Naruto simply smiled, wanting to help her as she gathered herself but not wanting to touch her and watch her crumble away. Naruto hated to admit it, but he was afraid. He was afraid that if he got much closer to this teetering girl it might hurt more when eventually he lost her. Kurama made it his point in life to make Naruto realize just how different he was from everyone else within the village.

"Are you ready to train?" Hinata straightened her jacket and smiled.

"Ready when you are." Her quiet voice carried its way to Naruto's ears and he grinned as he strolled to the opposite side of the training field. Once he arrived there, Naruto got into a loose stance that Jiraiya had taught him. Feet a little over shoulder width apart, knees bent, and arms up as though to keep balance, hands open and palm facing down. Hinata settled into the stiff stance of her clan. When it was clear that neither would make the first attack, Hinata flew back into the trees. Naruto grew alarmed for an instant fearing that Hinata would go out of the bounds of his barrier, so he jumped off in pursuit.

Hinata had jumped away because she knew that she wouldn't be able to take Naruto head-on. The blue-haired girl was not a victim of pride, she knew when she was faced with a challenge, and so she retreated in order to be able to think up a proper plan.

Naruto realized early on that Hinata was not far out into the forest and was relieved. He had put the barrier far out, but if the girl ran off too far she would not be safe. The blonde teenager had decided to go easy on Hinata as he was clearly stronger than her and also had greater endurance. He wouldn't want to hurt her since now all of this power had been given to him. Naruto had never been one to respect something attained without effort. Everything he had ever gotten had been through his extreme care and determination. To say that he wasn't grateful at all was a lie. Naruto was happy to be alive to continue protecting his precious ones and on his road to becoming Hokage. Even now, Naruto feared that his dream of being Hokage would have to die. Although it would be him in that place, Naruto couldn't see a person of terrible power in the Hokage robes. The world needed balance, and his life threw everything off.

Naruto shook himself out of his thoughts when he heard the crackle of leaves directly ahead of him. A grin spread across his face and Naruto slowly crept forward. He sniffed the air to see if he could smell Hinata, but he couldn't as the wind blew away from him. He saw Hinata directly ahead of him not seeming to pay attention and he was about ready to launch an attack at her when he suddenly tripped over a strand of chakra. Hinata spun around and faced him. In the instant that he began to fall, Naruto realized that the girl had her Byakugan activated. She launched a Jyuuken strike at his shoulder but he fell to the side, barely dodging her offending hand.

Hinata was surprised that her attack had missed. Her plan was her first and best chance to get a hit in on Naruto. Now she would actually have to engage him in hand-to-hand combat. Naruto tumbled down and jumped back up. Hinata had released the string when she launched her attack, so Naruto was free. Standing, the blonde tried to recover by throwing a punch, probably harder than he was supposed to. For an instant he was alarmed that he would injure his friend. His fears were replaced with surprise when the little teenager shoved his arm up and away with her hand and his arm suddenly started to sting. It had been a long time since Naruto had gotten hit by a Jyuuken strike and he had nearly forgotten what it felt like. The sting generated could be akin to a fire deep within the body burning at a nerve. The blonde sprung back in surprise.

'Why does it hurt so bad.' The demi-god did not expect the attack to hurt so badly. He heard Kurama answer matter-of-factly.

_I told you that you were at your best capability within the reaches of strength, speed and endurance for your body. I never said you were invincible. Shinigami rely immensely on chakra and you are outmatched in other areas. This girl is far more agile and flexible than you. Also, the Hyuuga have precisely harnessed chakra better than any other ninja clan in the world. Their tie to you is the closest out of any in the world. Shinigami have harnessed chakra, but we use it to open doors to another world and enhance ourselves physically. She is a good match for you. _Naruto felt himself panic a bit at that comment.

'W-what do you mean?" Kurama chuckled.

_I mean that she is a good training partner. She will help you improve in areas that you are lacking in. Therefore, your body will learn new capacities and you will become stronger._ Naruto had continued to battle with Hinata. The girl moved her lithe form gracefully, and many of his attacks had missed. A few had glanced her, but he was definitely worse off as far as blows went. He had completely lost feeling in the fingers of his left hand, although he continued to strike.

Hinata wasn't letting on, but she was extremely exhausted. She had already expended a lot of chakra, and Naruto was so strong that it took a lot of physical strength just to push his blows away. The girl could feel herself about to give out as her legs began to shake. Although she was exhausted, Hinata didn't want to stop because she feared that as soon as she dropped, Naruto would thank her for her time and leave. Suddenly, her muscles just gave out and Naruto's blow landed hitting her across the side of the head. Hinata crumpled to the floor, her head spinning from the force of Naruto's blow. Her vision blurred as tears of pain came to her eyes.

Naruto watched as his training companion crumpled to the floor from his blow. He had hit her harder than he had ever intended to and the girl remained on the floor. Naruto quickly followed her down. "Are you okay, Hinata-chan?" He helped the girl sit up. Hinata continued to clutch her aching head as she smiled and rubbed tears away.

"I'm fine. Sorry that I went down so fast, Naruto-kun. I don't think I'll be able to continue today. I'm really sorry. I had fun…" Hinata's voice was painfully quiet and Naruto strained his to hear her.

"I had fun too. You're really strong. I can't even feel my left hand anymore." Naruto lifted his hand for her to see and she weakly activated her Byakugan. The chakra network in his hand was cut off leading to what was probably a painful numbness.

"I can fix it. If you'd like, of course." Hinata deactivated her Byakugan and stayed sitting, waiting patiently for Naruto's response. She didn't have to wait long.

"Could you please?" The discomfort radiating from his arm was actually making Naruto sweat a little. Hinata nodded and took his hand in her small pale one. Once again, she activated her Byakugan to pin point the damaged network. Her hands began to glow soft, pure, lavender and Naruto felt relief in his arm. The tax on the girls chakra was noticeable however as the Byakugan faded from one eye. Soon, however the damage was healed and Naruto could feel his arm again. Hinata released her doujutsu and rested. Her eyes burned a bit but otherwise she felt fine.

"Thank you, Hinata-chan. It feels so much better." Hinata smiled but she knew that she was exhausted. Just as she was about to remind him that she wouldn't be able to continue for the day, the blonde spoke, "I can tell you're really tired. Would you like to go get some ramen with me?" Hinata's eyes widened in surprised at his question, and a small smile formed on the pale girl's face.

"I would like that very much, Naruto-kun. I'm pretty hungry." Just then Naruto's stomach grumbled loudly. "I guess you're hungry too." A slight giggle escaped her. Naruto's grin at her titter was wide. He helped her stand as she rocked a bit on her legs that were still weak from her strenuous exercise. Although the severe damage to his nerves was healed, Naruto still ached a little from his training. Hinata indeed was a good training partner for him. He felt more alive than he had been recently.

* * *

The pair strolled comfortably to Ichiraku's where they took their seats and were attended quickly. As soon as their orders had been placed; Naruto turned to Hinata to address her in conversation. "How have you been since you're father got home? Have you been training hard?" He grinned at her, but Hinata withdrew a bit from him.

"Yes, I have been. We have been working very hard at home. I haven't been around my teammates too much aside from the training we have on our designated days. I'm not allowed to hang out with them after a certain time, so we haven't had much fun. Actually, this is the first time I've hung out with anyone since my father came home." Naruto noted that she completely side-tracked his question on how she was feeling, but avoided the subject since she clearly didn't want to speak about it. That way, he had one less possibility of a painful bond with the blue-haired kunoichi sitting next to him.

"How is your father treating you?" With this question Hinata withdrew even more and declined to answer. This response led Naruto to worry, but he refused to let himself pry. It was difficult. He had promised that he would always protect his precious people and here he was, refusing to discover what was wrong because he knew that he wouldn't like it if he knew. So, the blonde boy reverted to his usual tactic. He began to talk about himself.

"I've been great too. Last week that I didn't see you was quiet and calm. I haven't really done anything interesting. But, training was really fun today. You really tired me out. The Jyuuken is really painful. I hadn't felt a strike like that since my fight with Neji." Hinata turned to him, wondering if he remembered the promise that he made in her honor. Her eyes fell to the floor when she figured that he didn't.

'Who would?' She thought.

"I'm glad I kept my promise, Hinata-chan?" Hinata's head shot up.

"What do you mean?" Had she heard wrong?

"I mean, I know you were unconscious, but when they carried you away, but on the day of your fight with Neji during the Chunnin exams, I made a promise that I would fight my hardest because I saw how hard you fought and that you didn't give up. It was really impressive." Hinata glowed pink. She had always admired him from afar, and here he thought that she was impressive. If Hinata had the courage, the roles at the moment would be reversed.

"Thank you, Naruto-kun." Hinata smiled brightly at the blonde. "I didn't know at the time that you made that promise, but later on, while I was in the hospital; Tenten came by to tell me that you had challenged Neji. Everyone was very impressed. I was very grateful. No one had ever stuck up for me like that. And no one has since." Hinata's smile wavered the slightest bit, but she was happy with what she had. Naruto grinned widely.

"I wish more people would take care of you. You always take others. You deserve a little reciprocation." And with that statement, the mood was light as feathers, and the pair returned to the remnants of their food. By the end of the meal, both ninja had relaxed muscles and a brightened outlook. Naruto got off his chair and waited for Hinata to wiggle off of hers.

"Would you like me to walk you home?" Hinata looked up at him with an apologetic smile.

"I would love that but my father is home already, and I don't know how much he would like it. He doesn't like non-Hyuuga members near the compound. He is a bit paranoid about people getting the secrets of our clan." Hinata smiled calmly at Naruto. For an instant, Naruto was happy he didn't have a large clan to deal with. No rules or regulations to follow, and no one to lose. But still, loneliness permeated his being. A small family would have been enough for him.

"I guess I'll see you on Friday then?" Naruto looked down at the small girl who had let her gaze drift elsewhere.

"I'll see you then. I had a really good time Naruto-kun." Hinata smiled again before backing away nervously and going on her way. Naruto watched her go before also slipping home.

* * *

Later that night Naruto had to slip out again for his other work. As he passed silently through the alleys on his way to a home that would soon be mourning, he saw people stroll quietly through the village. From time to time, he would spot something suspicious but he would leave it be. Whatever was going to happen would happen and nothing he did would change that. Kurama was insistent that what must be would be. This notion went against every fiber of Naruto's being. Since the beginning, Naruto had been set on changing what people considered his destiny. He vowed to never give up in changing what people thought of him, if only for his own benefit. Now, his profession went against his every belief.

Shinigami obeyed the orders of a higher power, and therefore didn't have much choice in the deliveries they made. Naruto wondered what justice there was if a good person died young or that a bad one lived too long. Worse yet, if someone had a tragic fate, why was there no way to change it. The blonde shinigami despised his work because he could no longer avoid acknowledging the fact that there was injustice in the world, and if it was coming your way, there was no way to avoid it. Naruto's skin crawled when he saw a man taking a teetering woman into a back alley, or a gang of people chasing after a small, scared figure. Naruto plowed on until he reached his destination.

The place that Kurama lead Naruto to was a small house that had all of its lights on as though people were running around within it. Naruto morphed into his other form and quietly drifted into the house. People ran about frantically getting buckets and blankets and towels. Naruto stepped on through the crowd, not worried about bumping into anyone because at the moment he wasn't substantial. The center of all of the turmoil was a small room that had a small bed and a little boy lay on the bed. The boy was scarcely conscious, but when he saw Naruto he smiled the slightest bit and waved. Naruto's heart clenched. When the boy did that, the room fell silent. The silence was torn apart by a loud roar as the boy's father jumped up and shouted.

"Get away from my son!" Naruto was startled, surprised that the man could see him, before he realized that the man was looking through him. "You can't take him from me! You can't. You can't…" Naruto had never before seen a grown man cry, and it was a startling sight. The burly man sank to the floor, sobbing. Naruto gulped down the cotton ball in his throat and stepped over to the boy. The child followed the shinigami with his eyes and turned his head the slightest bit when Naruto was directly next to him.

"Hi." Naruto looked down at the small boy with sadness.

"Hi…" The blonde crouched down. "What do you want before you go to sleep?" The little boy rolled his eyes.

"I'm not going to sleep. I'm dying, aren't I?" Naruto ran a hand through his hair.

"Well, dying is like sleeping a very long happy sleep." In all honesty, Naruto didn't remember death well because Kurama had intercepted it, but he didn't want to terrify the boy in his last moments.

"Well, I'd like my mommy to come back from heaven to take care of me while I fall asleep. I haven't seen her in a very long time." Naruto smiled at the boy and placed his hand on the little boy's head. Light appeared in the child's eyes, and he relaxed. Naruto's attention was suddenly caught by the boy's father.

"You can't take him from me, Shinigami-sama. He's all I have left." The man's face was creased with pure agony. Naruto put his hand over his heart in an attempt to ease the pain there. The boy let out a content sigh and passed. Naruto left quickly as the house soon became consumed with grief.

_You won't be able to protect everyone forever. It is time that you accept that. This is your destiny. Your future. There is no escaping it. _Kurama never failed to make Naruto regret their agreement.

"I'm going to sleep Kurama, at least there I can escape you."

* * *

In the morning, Naruto didn't want to wake up. He felt horrible about having to take someone so young from his family. He knew that he didn't have a choice in the matter, but it still made him feel horrible. Naruto really didn't want to go train with his team, or more so what was left of it. Team 7 had become a bedraggled mess. Sakura had become stronger, but her focus was still lacking. Kakashi was torn up over losing Sasuke to Orochimaru and later himself. Further, the team had gained Sai who was really more machine than human. Shoving himself out of bed, Naruto laboriously went to get ready for his day.

Hinata had woken up early. Too early in her opinion. She cooked breakfast for Neji, Hanabi and herself before stepping out into her mother's garden to eat hers. The atmosphere in the exquisite garden was always calm, no matter what was going on in her outside world. The garden was her sanctuary.

A curious thing always happened whenever she would take time to relax in her sanctuary. Her thoughts would always, at one point or another, get onto the subject of her crush. Recently, any thoughts she had of Naruto were worried. The cause of her worry was a dark heaviness that always seemed to permeate the air around the young boy. She was happy that her crush was back, but at the same time she wondered why he came back even more emotionally tired than he was when he left. The strangest thing was that Naruto didn't usually act much differently. He stuck to his boisterous, happy attitude, but Hinata could tell that he was faking it. The blue-haired girl could see it when he refused to look at her or when his eyes would suddenly become very sad. He also began to think a lot more than he used to.

Naruto had always been a slightly sad individual, and she understood this. He had not had a very happy life, at all. But what had been tiredness became exhaustion. What was once sadness became depression. Seeing Naruto so broken scared Hinata. After all, he had always been her light. Her goal.

Hinata distractedly ate her meal. The food was good, but Hinata felt it weigh within her. Then, her mood lightened when she remembered her training with Naruto the day before. He had told her that he thought she was strong. And not only that, but he had also invited her to go to Ichiraku. Hinata allowed herself to hope that perhaps she was getting closer to Naruto. The girl suddenly remembered something else that had been strange the day before. She had noticed that just when her and Naruto were about to have a deep conversation, he would shy away, and stop talking about the subject at hand. It was almost as though he didn't want to know any more about her. Hinata figured that this was probably true. She didn't find herself very interesting anyway.

Finally, the last grain of rice was eaten and Hinata stood up to take a good stretch. She had to meet her teammates. Picking up her dish, she silently walked inside to get ready.

* * *

The day was beautiful. Both Naruto and Hinata headed off to their training sessions a little bit more positive because of the gorgeous weather. Naruto arrived a little bit late to his team. Sakura was there and she didn't look very happy.

"You were late again, Baka!" Naruto smiled and scratched the back of his head.

"Sorry, Sakura-chan. I over-slept. It's just a little bit." Sakura's answer was to box him over the head. Even with his enhanced strength, Sakura's blows still hurt. Just then, Kakashi appeared.

"You're late again, Sensei!" Sakura looked about ready to hit Kakashi over the head as well.

"Sorry, Sakura. I got lost on the road of life." Naruto was reminded of his burden.

'You can't get lost on that. There's only one road.' Sighing, the blonde kicked at the dry grass at his feet. Sakura and Kakashi noticed the change in the atmosphere, but attributed it to Sai's sudden appearance.

"Hello, my fellow teammates." The black-haired shinobi appeared out of nowhere with complete silence. Each and every one of the members of Team 7 felt chills go up and down their spine.

In the meantime, Hinata arrived with her team. Kurenai was scolding Kiba over something he had done, and Shino was patiently looking on waiting for the tongue lashing to end. Hinata's presence instantly calmed everyone as they all turned their attention to her. Hinata, never being one for attention, quickly blushed and looked down at her feet in embarrassment. Kurenai spoke out to her.

"Are you ready to begin training, Hinata?" The girl nervously nodded and stepped towards them to begin her day.

**Another chapter done. I may be slowing down soon because I don't want to lose my focus during school, but I'll try my best. Please write reviews, I really appreciate them. Tell me what you like, what you don't like. Thank you for your time.**


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